


Touching the Sunrise

by coffeeonthebrunhild



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, Lazy Mornings, M/M, Married Sheith, Post-Canon, Season 8 Doesn't Exist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-27 10:34:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21117341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffeeonthebrunhild/pseuds/coffeeonthebrunhild
Summary: For Keith’s birthday, Shiro gives his husband the gift of a lazy morning. <3





	Touching the Sunrise

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by [this](https://twitter.com/effitsfranki/status/1169384733802938370) glorious art by [@Effitsfranki](https://twitter.com/effitsfranki), who draws the softest and most beautiful sheith imaginable. Please join me in crying over their entire gallery.

These days, Shiro always woke with a smile.

Sunlight spilled through the cracks between wispy curtains, dripping across the slope of Keith’s back in shades of strawberry lemonade. Keith’s face was nestled into the crook of Shiro’s neck, his exhales feather-soft on Shiro’s skin. One arm draped heavy across Shiro’s ribs; the other curled around Shiro’s bicep, clinging even in sleep. Underneath their rumpled blanket, his leg hooked possessively over Shiro’s hip.

Judging by the light, it was still quite early—between six and seven in the morning, Shiro guessed. He should be grateful his internal clock let him sleep even an hour later than his usual five o’clock waking time.

If he slipped away now, he should have plenty of time to cook up a special breakfast while Keith snoozed away. Maybe his plan was a little ambitious—Hunk had warned him it wouldn’t be easy to manage pancakes and stuffed French toast at the same time—but Shiro was feeling optimistic. He didn’t spend half of yesterday’s meeting doodling pancake art ideas for nothing. As long as he paid attention and followed Hunk’s step-by-step instructions, he was confident he wouldn’t set off any fire alarms this time.

He just had to sneak out of bed, first.

Experimentally, Shiro stretched out one leg, shifting his weight back just a fraction. Keith let out a muffled grumbling sound and wound more securely around him, face burrowing into Shiro’s shoulder.

Shiro chuckled silently. Easing out of Keith’s koala hold without waking him was a skill Shiro had practiced down to a science over the past two years, but once Keith latched onto something, the collective might of the Galra Empire wasn’t enough to shake him off. Shiro was living proof of that.

_Ah, well._ Breakfast in bed could wait for another morning. It was Keith’s birthday, after all; if he wanted to keep Shiro close, Shiro wouldn’t dream of denying him.

Honestly, Shiro would rather stay in bed, anyway. Keith radiated heat like the hot water bottle Shiro’s mom used to tuck into his blankets with him on cold winter nights—only Keith didn’t cool off by morning, and he was far comfier to cuddle with.

Shiro accepted his fate and settled back into the plush mattress, tucking Keith closer against his chest. He burrowed his nose into Keith’s flyaway mess of dark hair and inhaled the lingering scent of pumpkin spice.

Shiro allowed himself an indulgent grin. Keith had picked on him when he first bought the seasonal shampoo—_“I don’t want to smell like a latte, Shiro”_—but that hadn’t stopped Keith from using it liberally, and the bottle emptied in record time. Because Shiro was such a considerate husband, he kept his gloating to a minimum when Keith came home with a new bottle tucked into his shopping bag. 

Lulled by the pleasant scent and the even rhythm of Keith’s breathing, Shiro dozed off for a while. When he opened his eyes again, the sunlight through the curtains had brightened to the honeyed yellow of mid-morning.

He drew back only enough to rest his head level with Keith’s on their shared pillow, so he could watch the changes flicker across his husband’s face.

Keith’s awakening was slow and blooming, just as captivating as the sunrise over the desert cliffs near their home. Shiro watched the telltale wrinkle form between his brows, followed by the flutter of thick lashes against his cheeks. His eyes opened, deeper and darker than the night sky they both loved.

Of course, Keith was always beautiful. He cut a devastating figure in uniform, whether dressed in his senior Blade outfit with the breadth of his shoulders on full display, wiping the floor with their new recruits, or poised and commanding in his Paladin armor, earning the awe of entire planets. And he was just as stunning wrapped in leather, grin wicked and braid streaming behind him as he pushed his hoverbike past its limits, or when he was lounging on the sofa in faded sweat pants and an oversized t-shirt, idly nudging Shiro’s leg with his toes while reading a dog-eared paperback. Not to mention how he looked in moments like last night—glowing eyes with pupils slit, mouth hinting the curve of a fang.

But Shiro thought he might be most beautiful like this—with his eyes still hazy, hair a wild cascade over his shoulders, and his sharp features softened by drowsiness, with a pillow crease stamped into his cheek. Nothing could compare to the slow, sweet smile that curved his lips when he noticed Shiro watching him.

“Hi.” His sleep-rusty voice seeped into all of Shiro’s cracks and scars, sealing Shiro’s broken pieces back together anew.

“Hi.” Shiro traced two fingers along the length of Keith’s scar. It was a ritual of sorts, always the first spot Shiro touched each morning. “Happy birthday.”

There it was—that little startled blink of Keith’s eyes before he looked away, smile turning inward as he shifted onto his back. Pleased, and a little shy, like he couldn’t quite get used to the idea that someone might remember his birthday and want to celebrate it with him. The expression squeezed at Shiro’s heart every time.

When Keith met Shiro’s eyes again, his cheeks were warmed by the barest tint of a flush. “What time is it?”

Shiro scooted closer to kiss the tip of Keith’s nose. “Don’t know.” His lips trailed across Keith’s cheek, pausing just before his ear. “Don’t care. I had Pidge put a lock on all our communicators. We can sleep in as late as we want.”

“Wow.” Keith’s laugh was a little breathless as Shiro mouthed at the spot under his ear. “You really know how to spoil a guy.”

With one last, lingering kiss at Keith’s jaw, Shiro drifted back up to brush their noses together.

“Anything for you, sweetheart.”

Keith rolled his eyes, but Shiro knew he was melting inside—the tiny twitch at the corner of his mouth gave him away. Keith was always weak to Shiro’s endearments, and sleepiness just made him more susceptible. It was one of the many, _many_ things Shiro adored about him.

“You’re a dork,” Keith accused.

“I’m in love,” Shiro countered.

“Didn’t say you can’t be both.” Keith hooked his hand around the back of Shiro’s neck and tugged.

The kisses that followed were unhurried and decadent. Shiro closed his eyes, luxuriating in the languid drag of their lips against each other, the tantalizing tease of Keith’s tongue. Keith was an inviting warmth beneath him, mouth open and soft, fingers scritching softly in his hair and dancing across his shoulders.

Shiro took his time to savor every sensation, his thumb gliding along the curve of Keith’s neck. His Altean hand cupped the back of Keith’s head, fingers tangled in silky hair. Each contented sound he pulled from Keith’s throat was a pulse of nectar-sweet heat that fizzed through his veins like the finest champagne. He could kiss Keith all day, all week, and never get enough.

He let his flesh hand span over Keith’s chest, seeking the steady beat of his heart, before sliding down to feel the lean lines of his stomach. His fingertips traced lovingly over every scar, cherished every dip in Keith’s skin.

When his hand tried to wander further, Keith caught Shiro’s wrist and squeezed in warning.

“Shiro,” he mumbled between kisses, “we should get up.” 

Shiro successfully distracted him for another several minutes, until they had to draw apart for breath. 

“We promised to have lunch with Mom.”

“We still have time,” Shiro insisted. 

He went for another kiss, but Keith ducked away, brushing an apologetic peck to the corner of his mouth instead.

“I don’t wanna be late. And we’re heading to the Blade headquarters after that, remember?”

Shiro did remember. After lunch with Krolia, the Blade were holding a special ceremony for Keith, where he would fight a hand-to-hand duel against every member who wanted to congratulate him. (Considering how much the organization had grown, Keith was lucky he’d inherited his mom’s Galra stamina.) From there, they’d drop in at the Garrison so Keith’s students in the piloting program could share their regards, and then they’d pay a visit to the Coalition-affiliated children’s home to share some cake with the kids. Then, finally, they’d meet the Paladins and Coran for a late dinner, courtesy of Hunk.

It was wonderful to see how many people loved Keith and wanted to appreciate him, and Shiro really was looking forward to it all. And he’d be lying if he said the thought of making Krolia wait didn’t unnerve him at least a little bit.

But even so…

“Just a little longer.” Shiro cupped Keith’s head in his hand, nuzzling at his temple, and peppered kisses down his cheek and his neck.

Keith chuckled. “You’re really clingy this morning.”

“I have to share you all day.” Shiro drew back enough to let Keith see his pout. “Wanna keep you to myself a little longer.”

Keith huffed an exasperated breath, brows slanted in an expression that clearly said, _what am I going to do with you_? His smile was helplessly fond as he combed his fingers through Shiro’s bedhead.

“Making demands, old timer?” Keith’s hands drifted down to brush against Shiro’s cheeks, pausing to tug gently on his ears. The teasing lilt in his tone warmed Shiro down to his toes. “Whose birthday do you think this is?”

Shiro didn’t hide his answering grin. He curled the fingers of his Altean hand delicately around Keith’s left wrist.

“As if I’d ever forget. It’s my favorite day of the year.” He drew Keith’s hand to his lips while he spoke, pressing a kiss to each fingertip. “If you think about it, I’m the one who should celebrate the most. Because today happened, I get to have you.” 

He bowed his head over Keith’s hand, lips lingering against the golden band on Keith’s ring finger. 

“Forever.”

Shiro thought he was watching closely, but he was still unprepared for how fast Keith moved. An irresistible shift of gravity sent Shiro onto his back, pinned to the mattress with Keith straddling his waist.

Keith’s hair spilled around Shiro in an inky waterfall, liquid-soft strands caressing Shiro’s cheeks and throat. His eyes smoldered like twin meteor showers. Shiro could only hold his gaze, enraptured, while Keith pressed their palms together, twining their fingers one by one. 

He made a slow, deliberate show of stretching Shiro’s arms above his head, face inching down until they were nose to nose. The easy strength with which he held himself, arched over Shiro with a sharp, promising grin, had Shiro’s heart thudding fast enough to break the sound barrier.

This was the part Shiro could never get used to, no matter how many times he lived it—Keith’s eyes, dark with promise, directing all of that breathtaking passion and fierceness at _him_.

Shiro’s mouth stretched into a lopsided, wondering smile.

He really got to have this.

_Forever._

He licked his lips. “Didn’t you want to get up?”

“We have time.” Keith bent closer, pointed teeth teasing the sensitive skin under Shiro’s jaw. “Let’s stay here for a while.”

It _was_ Keith’s birthday, after all; Shiro wouldn’t dream of denying him.

**Author's Note:**

> It’s my personal headcanon that Shiro *can* cook, but on the rare occasions when he actually has time, he’s too ambitious and tries to handle too many things at once, so he ends up ruining most of it.
> 
> Come find me RT-ing all the softest sheith content on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/SundaySEternal)!


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